Last Resort: Nickelodeon Is Developing A Show From A 95-Year-Old Creator

Who knows what young whippersnappers today like more than a 95-year-old man? That’s the latest line of thought at Nickelodeon Animation.

With Nick’s inability to retain their best non-nonagenarian-talent, what’s the studio got to lose? Another bonus: any inappropriate behavior by a 95-year-old man likely won’t be a match for the heinous sexual perversions and harassment of some of the network’s younger creators.

The senior citizen in question is Norman Lear, who developed classic sitcoms like All in the Family, Sanford and Son, and The Jeffersons. With his producing partner Brent Miller, he’s offering Nickelodeon what is being described as a “Norman Lear project”: Man of the House (working title).

The show is about an 11-year-old boy named José who helps his mother Maria watch over his two younger siblings, Maria Juliana (Maju) and Diego, while trying to form a hip-hop group with his downstairs neighbor, Wilbur.

The creative concept will be developed by Colombian-American writer and illustrator Michael Molina (Trivia Night). The Nick exec overseeing development is Claudia Spinelli, who is newly promoted to vice president of animation development from her previous role as vice president of current series.

“Norman has been telling stories about families, parents, and kids for many years, and it’s so exciting that he and his producing partners Brent and Michael, want to tell this story to today’s generation of Nick kids,” said Chris Viscardi, senior vice president, Nickelodeon Animation.

Lear and Miller will executive produce through Lear’s company, ACT III Productions, which has produced films like Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, and Fried Green Tomatoes, and last year created a revival of Lear’s 1970s series, One Day at a Time for Netflix.